Direction-controlling mechanism for guns



April 1949; c. KLIWOODMAN T 2,467,514

DIRECTION-CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR GUNS Filed'May 16, 1944 3Sheets-Sheet 1 I April 19, 1949. c. K. WOODMAN DIRECTION-CONTROLLINGMECHANISM FOR GUNS Filed May "16, 1944 1 5 Sheets Sheet 2 A ril 19,1949. c. K. WOODMAN DIRECTION Filed May 16, 1944 CONTROLLING MECHANISMFOR GUNS s Shts-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 19, 1949 DIRECTION-CONTROLLINGMECHANISM FOR GUNS Charles K. Woodman, Beverly, Mass, assignor to UnitedShoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of NewJersey Application May 16, 1944, Serial No. 535,862

21 Claims.

This invention relates to the control of gunfire, and particularly tothe exercise of such control over directions in which the gun may bepointed, so that chosen objects, such as structures upon a vessel onwhich thegun is mounted, may be protected from the fire.

An object of the invention is to obtain this protection by means whichleaves the gun free for movement upon its mount, which may readily bealtered to meet different conditions and which, if

desired, is guarded against injury by shocks produced in stopping thegun-movement. This object, I attain by combining with a gun-mount,including a non-rotatable portion and a bracket turning thereon, and agun trunnioned upon the bracket, non-rotatable stop means, as a cam,carried by the mount and having upon its edge a movement-limitingsurface, a follower movable upon the bracket and with said bracket incooperation with the limiting surface, and pivotally joined members forconnecting the "follower to the gun to move upon the bracket toward andfrom the limiting surface. This connecting means may include a link uponwhich the follower is suspended, a lever fulcrumed above the stop means,and a link through which the gun oscillates the lever. All theseelements may be of ample strength to resist breakage, and are arrangedclosely about and are carried by the gun and its mount, in no wayinterfering with its manipulation. If the controlling mechanism is to besubjected to severe shocks, bufier means may be introduced between thefollower and the gun to permit yield upon engagement of the followerwith its limiting surface. This buiier means may be more or lessefficient, as is required. Herein are shown a spring-buffer device andalso a spring combined with an hydraulic buffer, when a greatercushioning effect is desired. The direction-controlling mechanism, asapplied to the gun and itsmount, may include a stop member forattachment to the mouth, and a co-operating follower device having abodily and angularly yieldable member for contacting with the stopmember. As illustrated, the follower device has spaced members movablein a casing, one of said members being movable by the gun and theothermember arranged for contact with the stop member, and buffer meansinterposed between the members in the casing. There is also means topositively limit the approach of the members and so, correspondingly,the direction of the gun. The buffer-spring shown herein, may haveassociated wlthit means by which it may be loaded to difierent degreesiii and thus its cushioning effect varied. The 115 draulic devicepreferably includes a needle-valve, through which liquid may pass withgradually increasing resistance, and a check-valve which facilitates thereturn of the spaced members to their normal positions.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention,

Fig, 1 shows, in side elevation, a gun with the upper portion of itsmount and to which is applied my improved direction-controllingmechanism;

Fig. 2 is a broken front elevation of one form of this controllingmechanism;

Fig. 3, a vertical section therethrough on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a vertical sectional detail illustrating the means fordetermining the contour of the direction-controlling cam;

Fig. 5, a perspective view of a portion of the cam-carrier with theapplied strip upon which the cam-contour has been plotted;

Fig. 6, a top plan view of the mechanism of Fig. 2, with a portion insection;

Fig. 7 shows the hanger-plates of Fig. 2 in perspective;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2, of another form of the controllingmechanism;

Fig. 9 is a like view of still another form of the invention; and

Fig. 10 is an-enlarged central vertical section through thecylinder-block of Fig. 2 and the more closely associated elements.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings appears-the upper portion of a gun-mountdesignated, as a whole, by M. In a pedestal Ill a column 12 issupported, and arranged to turn upon the upper extremity of the columnis a bracket 14, in which oscillate the trunnions l6 of a cradle I8. Inthis cradle, agun 20 is secured. Fixed about the top of the column, justbelow the bracket, is a cylindrical cam-assembly C by which themovements of the gun in azimuth and in elevation are limited. As shownin Figs. 1 and 2, the assembly may include a sectional carrier-ring 22,surrounding the column and having drawn toward it, by connecting screws24, a sectional clamping ring 26 vertically spaced from thecarrier-ring. The inner surfaces of the carrier-ring and clamping ringare inclined, converging outwardly toward each other and engagingcorrespondingly inclined surfaces of a sectional friction-ring 28fitting about the column. By setting up the screws, the carrier-ring andclamping ring may be drawn toward each other, their inclined surfacesforcing in the friction-ring to secure the assembly in place upon thecolumn. In a vertical wall 29 of the carrier-ring are threaded openings30, to which may be attached by screws 32 segments 34, the upper edges36 of which, together with a horizontal surface 31 of the carrier-ring,have a contour limiting both the vertical and horizontal angles in whichthe gun may be directed upon its mount. These positions of the gun areattained, respectively, by movement of the cradle [13 upon the bracketl4 and the bracket about the column l2. Cam-segments of different formsmay be applied to the carrier-ring to give the desired limits ofgun-movement.

Secured to one side of the bracket I4 is a casing 46, in which ismovable vertically a follower device F, including a horizontal,cylindrical projection 42 co-operating with the cam-edge 36. Thefollower device is suspended by a link 44 from a bell-crank-lever 46,fulcrumed at 48 upon the upper portion of the casing, said lever havingan upwardly extending arm joined by a link 50 to a crank-arm 52 fastupon one of the trunnions I6. This connection of the follower to the gunallows the latter to be elevated as desired, the follower rising freelyfrom the cam as the arm 52 turns clockwise (Fig. 1). Upon depression ofth gun, when the desired limit of movement is reached, the projection 42is stopped by contact with the surface 36 of the cam, and the followerand gun are brought to rest. When the gun is rotated upon the column ID,if the muzzle is low enough to require control to be exercised, theengagement of the follower-projection with the inclined surfaces of thecam will elevate the muzzle automatically, or contact with a verticalsurface of the cam will stop the gun from turning about a vertical axis.

To absorb excessive shock which might be caused in the movement of thegun by contact of the projection 42 with the cam-surface 36, Figs. 2, 3and 6 of the drawings illustrate yieldable buffer means between thelever and projection, these including both spring and hydraulic devicesto give a maximum cushioning efiect. The lower end of the link 44 ispivoted to a head '54 guided within the casing 40. On the opposite sidesof the head are shoulders 56, upon which rest angular ends of spacedhanger-plates .58, 58 (Fig. 7), sliding upon the casing-walls. Pivotedat 69) between the lower portions of the hangerplates and in alinementwith the vertical axis of the block is a member 62, from the bottom ofwhich the projection 42 inwardly extends over the cam-edge 36. Fromopposite sides of the head 54 depend guide-pins 64, 64, received inbores 66, 66 in a cylinder-block 68, which rests upon opposite convexshoulders 70, 10 at the top of the contact member 62. Spaces at l2, 12provide for limited relative movement between the head 54 and the block68 before the opposed surfaces come into engagement. Extending axiallyof the block is a cylinder-space 14, in which is a piston 16 supportedupon a spring 18 surrounding a reduced lower portion of the piston andseated at the bottom of the cylinder-space. The resistance of the springto compression is sufiicient to hold the piston yieldably in a raisedposition. Below the piston the cylinder-space is filled with some suchliquid as oil. Interposed between the top of the piston and theunderside of the head is a buffer-spring 80, offering greater resistanceto compression than the spring 76. The springs normally maintain thelower surface of the cylinder-block upon both the shoulders 10 of thecontact member 62, so the block 68 and member are vertically alined.Resting upon the bottom of the cylinder-space is a seat 82 for a taperedpin 84, which furnishes a part of a needle-valve. The seat has anupwardly extending flange, within which a head upon the pin rests and isretained in place by a collar 86 threaded within the flange and bearingupon the upper face of the head. In an axial bore in the piston andseated against its lower extremity, a check-valve 88 is movable. In thischeck-valve is an axial bore 90, into the lower end of which th taperedpin 84 extends to complete the needlevalve. The check-valve is heldyieldably against its seat at the reduced end of the piston by anexpansion-spring 92 interposed between the bottom of a counterbore atthe top of the piston and a washer surrounding a screw 94 threaded intoan enlargement of the bore 90 of the checkvalve. Along the cylindricalstem of the checkvalve are longitudinal flutes or passages 96 joined tothe axial passage 96 by radical passages 98.

Considering the muzzle of the gun 20 to be elevated so the projection 42of the follower device F is spaced from the surface 36 of thecam-assembly C, of which the carrier-surface 31 may be considered to bea part, and then lowered, before the line of fire reaches an object tobe protected the projection will strike the cam-surface. If the force ofthe impact'is substantial but not excessive, and the surface engagedapproaches the horizontal, the member 62 and the piston 76 will yieldpromptly against the spring 18 without compressing the spring 80, ifsuch force is sufficient otherwise to cause damage to the controllingmechanism. In this yield, the member 62 moves vertically. The shoulders56 of the head 54 will separate from the hanger-plates 58, and thespaces 12 will partially close. The displaced liquid in thecylinder-space will pass through the passages 90. 98 and 96,encountering gradually increasing resistance because of the taper of theneedle-valve-pin 84, so the shock to the follower in the verticalmovement of the gun will be effectively cushioned before thepredetermined limit has been reached. This limit is fixed positively bycontact of the head 54 and the block 68, when the spaces 12 are closedin the descent of the head. Upon elevation of the gun, the check-valve88 is forced open against its spring 92, allowing the liquid toredistribute itself promptly. If the force of contact had been greater,the spring also would be compressed, the hydraulic device now absorbingthe energy dissipated by said spring. If the force transmitted to thefollower device F should be the result of movement of the gun in azimuthupon the column I2, the striking of the projection 42 against aninclined or vertical surface 36 of the cam-assembly would tilt thecontact member 62 angularly about its pivot 60. This would lift one orthe other of the shoulders 10 upon the member, to produce upwardmovement of the cylinder-block 68. The cushioning of the shock would bein a manner similar to that just described, the liquid first beingforced through the gradually closing needle-valve and then the spring 80compressed.

If a less effective cushioning of the shock produced by contact of thefollower device F with the cam-assembly C is acceptable, one of thebuffer devices may be omitted, preferably the hydraulic arrangement.Such a simplified organization is illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawings.Here, all the parts of the follower device and its s aman connection tothe gun-trunnion may be identical with the form previously described,except as to the cushioning means interposed between the link-supportedhead 54 and the block 68. This means may consist of a compressiblespring-unit adjustable as to resistance. At the lower extremity of thisunit is an outwardly flanged sleeve H10 and at the upper a similarsleeve I02. The flanges of the sleeves rest against the ends of acompression-spring we lying within the depressions in the head andblock. The sleeves are joined by a screw H16, the head of which isseated in an inward flange at the inner end of the sleeve I02 and theopposite end threaded into the sleeve I00. With the unit removed fromthe follower, the screw I06 may be turned to vary the space between thesleeves, and thus the degree of compression of the spring and itsresistance to further compression. When in place between the head 54 andthe block 68, upon engagement of the contact-projection 42 with thecam-surface 36, the spring will yield to allow relative movement betweenthe block and the member 62, whether the latter moves vertically orrocks about its pivot 60. The cushioning effect offered by the springI04 will depend upon the extent to which it has been loaded by the screwI06.

A still further simplification of the gun-controlling mechanism isillustrated in Fig. 9. If the movement-limiting contact members are ofsufficient strength to resist the shocks to which they are to besubjected, or if it is desired to minimize complication, the buffermechanism may be entirely omitted. The link Ml, which is raised andlowered by movement of the gun in elevation and which turns with it inazimuth, is pivoted directly to a unitary slide Illl guided for verticalmovement in the casing 40 attached to the trunnionbracket M, as before.From the bottom of this slide is the'inward contact-projection 52 forengagement with the surface 36 of the cam-assembly C. When thisprojection strikes the cam-surface, either upon vertical movement of thegun 20 upon its trunnions H5, or about the column l2, movement will bestopped positively, or if the surface is inclined to the horizontal byan angle sufficiently acute, the projection may slide up the inclineduring azimuth-movement of the gun, but still causing the gun to bedirected away from objects to be protected.

To facilitate determination of the contour of the surface 36 of the camdevice C, the contactprojection 32 of each of the various mechanisms isprovided with an axial horizontal bore H2. The radius of thiscylindrical projection is equal to the width of the space '12, theclosure of which positively limits the movement of the gun 20. The boreI ll receives a cylindrical, prick-punch, or other marking member, P(Fig. 4). About the wall 29 of the carrier ring 22, a strip S of thinmaterial, such as sheet-metal, is wrapped and secured in place by screwsinserted through it into the openings 30. The peripheral relation of thestrip to the wall is noted by inscribing registering index-marks uponthe two elements. Now the gun is bore-sighted in a series of directionsto clear properly the objects to be protected from fire, and by pressingthe device P, for each of the gun-positions, through a vertical slot H4in the casing 43 and through the bore H2 in the contact-projection,there will be made on the strip S a series of marks m (Fig. 5), which,when connected, will give a template presenting the desired contour ofthe cam device. Under the "guidance of this template, the surfaces 36 ofthe desired number of segments 34 are cut and these segments secured tothe openings 30 in the carrier-wall '29. The angular positions of thesegments about the wall are fixed by the template S, as located by theindex-marks upon it and upon the wall. The relation between the radiusof the projection 42 and the width of the space 12 so locates thetemplate-line as to give the desired limit to the movement of the gun,when all the yield permitted by the buffer mechanisms has been taken up.For the nonyieldable mechanism of Fig. 9, the cam-contour should be cutto a form corresponding to that the making of which has been justdescribed, but separated from the template line m at the side oppositethe contact-surface by a space equal to the radius of the projection 42.This allows said projection to travel to its extreme limit. The plottingof the contour of a direction controlling cam above described but notclaimed herein has been made the subject matter of a divisionalapplication Serial No. 642,508, filed January 21, 1946 in my name.

It will be seen that a mechanism, arranged in accordance with thepresent invention, is carried compactly upon the mount of the gunitself, so it does not interfere with movement of the gun-crew. The formof the direction-controlling means may readily and accurately bedetermined and, by the provision of the separable cam-segments, mayquickly be changed, wholly or in part, with relatively little effort, tomeet different conditions as to surrounding objects to be protected fromgun-discharge. When it is considered desirable to cushion the contact ofthe follower with the stop member, this may be accomplished to theproper degree without excessive complication of the controllingmechanism.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination with a gun-mount including a non-rotatable portionand a bracket turning upon such portion, and a gun trunnioned in thebracket, of non-rotatable stop means carried by the mount and having amovementlimiting surface, a follower movable upon the bracket and withsaid bracket in co-operation with the limiting surface of the stopmember, and members pivotally joined to one another for connecting thefollower to the gun and transmitting to the follower a force applieddirectly to the gun to move said follower upon the bracket toward andfrom the limiting surface.

2. The combination with a gun-mount including a non-rotatable portionand a bracket turning upon such portion, and a gun trunnioned in thebracket, of stop means fixed to the nonrotatable portion of the mountand having a movement-limiting surface, a casing attached to thebracket, a lever fulcrumed above the stop means, a link pivoted to thelever, a follower suspended from the link and guided in the casing formovement in co-operation with the limiting surface, and a link throughwhich the gun in its movement upon the bracket oscillates the lever.

3. The combination with a column, of a cylindrical cam surrounding thecolumn and having at its upper edge a movement-limiting surface, atrunnion-bracket rotatable upon the column, a gun trunnioned in thebracket, a casing attached to the bracket, a follower guided in thecasing and provided with a projection for con,-

tact with the limiting surface of the cam, a lever fulcrumed upon thecasing, a link connecting the lever to the follower, an arm fixed to thegun-trunnion, and a link joining the arm to the lever.

4. The combination with a gun-mount including a non-rotatable portionand a bracket turning upon such portion, and a gun trunnioned in thebracket, of stop means fixed to the nonrotatable portion of the mountand having a movement-limiting surface, a casing attached to thebracket, a follower guided in the casing for movement in co-operationwith the limiting surface, means for connecting the follower to the gunto move said follower toward and from the limiting surface, andyieldable means in the casing interposed between the follower and gun.

5. The combination with a gun-mount including a non-rotatable portionand a bracket turning upon such portion, and a gun trunnioned in thebracket, of stop means fixed to the nonrotatable portion of the gun andhaving a movement-limiting surface, a follower movable upon the bracketand with said bracket in co-operation with the limiting surface of thestop member, means for connecting the follower to the gun to move saidfollower upon the bracket toward and from the limiting surface, and aspring interposed between the follower and the gun and arranged to yieldupon engagement of the follower with the limiting surface.

6. The combination with a gun-mount including a non-rotatable portionand a bracket turning upon such portion, and a gun trunnioned in thebracket, of stop means fixed to the non-rotatable portion of the mountand having a movement-limiting surface, a follower movable upon thebracket and with said bracket in co-operation with the limiting surfaceof the stop member, means for connecting the follower to the gun to movesaid follower upon the bracket toward and from the limiting surface, anda plurality of successively effective bufier devices interposed betweenthe follower and the gun.

'7. The combination with a gun-mount including a non-rotatable portionand a bracket turning upon such portion, and a gun trunnioned in thebracket, of stop means fixed to the non-rotatable portion of the mountand having a movement-limiting surface, a follower movable upon thebracket and with said bracket in co-operation with the limiting surfaceof the stop member, means for connecting the follower to the gun to movesaid follower in the bracket toward and from the limiting surface, and aspring device and an hydraulic device interposed between the followerand the gun and arranged to yield upon engagement of the follower withthe limiting surface.

8. Direction-controlling mechanism for guns comprising a stop member forattachment to the gum-mount, a follower device for co-operation with thestop member, said follower device having :a casing and spaced membersmovable in the casing, one of said members being movable by the gun andthe other member being arranged for contact with the stop member, and abuffer device interposed between the members in the casing.

9. Direction-controlling mechanism for guns comprising a stop member forattachment to the gun-mount, a follower device for co-operation with thestop member, said follower device having a casing and spaced membersmovable in the casing, one of said members being movable by the gun andthe other member being arranged for contact with the stop member, and abuffer device interposed between the members in the casing, there beingmeans arranged to limit positively the approach of the member in thecasing upon yield of the buffer device.

10. Direction-controlling mechanism for guns comprising a stop memberfor attachment to the gun-mount, a follower device for co-operation withthe stop member, said follower device having a casing and spaced membersmovable in the casing, one of said members being movable by the gun andthe other member being arranged for contact with the stop member, and abuffer device interposed between the members in the casing and removabletherefrom as a unit, said buffer device comprising a spring and meansfor loading the spring.

11. Direction-controlling mechanism for guns comprising a stop memberfor attachment to the gun-mount, a follower device for co-operation withthe stop member, said follower device having a casing and spaced membersmovable in the casing, one of said members being movable by the gun andthe other member being arranged for contact with the stop member, and aspringunit interposed between the members in the casing and comprisingspaced sleeves for respective engagement with the two members, acomparession-spring abutting against the sleeves and a screw connectingsaid sleeves to apply a variable load to the spring.

12. Direction-controlling mechanismfor guns comprising a stop member forattachment to the gun-mount, a follower device for co-operation with thestop member, said follower device having a casing and spaced membersmovable in the casing, one of said members being movable by the gun andthe other member being arranged for contact with the stop member, and anhydraulic buffer device interposed between the members in the casing.

13. Direction-controlling mechanism for guns comprising a stop memberfor attachment to the gun-mount, a follower device for co-operation withthe stop member, said follower device having a casing and spaced membersmovable in the casing, one of said members being movable by the gun andthe other member being arranged for contact with the stop member, andbuffer means comprising a buffer-spring and an hydraulic buffer deviceinterposed between the members in the casing.

l4. Direction-controlling mechanism for guns comprising a stop memberfor attachment to the gun-mount, a follower device for co-operation.with the stop member, said follower device having a casing, a headmovable in the casing by the gun, a block movable in the casing andbeing normally spaced from the head, a member for contact with the stopmember, said contact member engaging the block at the end opposite thehead and means for connecting the contact member to the head, and abuffer device interposed between the head and block.

, l5. Direction-controlling mechanism for guns comprising a stop memberfor attachment to the gun-mount, a follower device for co-operation withthe stop member, said follower device having a casing, a head movable inthe casing by the gun, a block movable in the casing and being normallyspaced from the head, a member for contact with the stop member, saidcontact mem-- ber engaging the block at the end opposite the head andmeans for connecting the contact member to the head, and a buffer deviceinterposed between the head and block, there being opposed surfaces uponsaid head and block positively limiting the approach of these elements.

16. Direction-controlling mechanism for guns comprising a stop memberfor attachment to the gun-mount, and a follower device haVing a memberarranged to yield bodily and angularly upon contact with the stopmember, said follower device having a casing, a head movable in thecasing by the gun, a block movable in the casing and being normallyspaced from the head and a member for contact with the stop member, saidcontact member engaging the block at the end opposite the head and beingmovable with the head and supported to rock with respect thereto, and abuffer device interposed between the head and block.

1'7. Direction-controlling mechanism for guns comprising a stop memberfor attachment to the gun-mount, a follower device for co-operation withthe stop member, said follower device having a casing, a head movable inthe casing by the gun, a, block movable in the casing and being normallyspaced from the head and a member for contact with the stop member, saidcontact member engaging the block at the end opposite the head and beingmovable with the head and supported to rock with respect thereto, and abuffer device interposed between the head and block.

18. Direction-controlling mechanism for guns comprising a, stop memberfor attachment to the gun-mount, a follower device for co-operation withthe stop member, said follower device having a casing, a head movable inthe casing by the gun, a block movable in the casing and being normallyspaced from the head, a hanger depending from the head and a member forcontact with the stop member pivoted upon the hanger in verticalalinement with the axis of the block and having spaced projections uponwhich the iblOCk rests, and a buffer device interposed between the headand block.

19. Direction-controlling mechanism for guns comprising a stop memberfor attachment to the gun-mount, a follow-er device for co-operationwith the stop member, said follower device having a, casing, a headmovable in the casing by the gun, a cylinder-block movable in the casingand a member for contact with the stop memher, said contact memberengaging the block at the end opposite the head, a piston movable in thecylinder-block by the head, a spring by which the piston is heldnormally raised in the cylinder, and portions of a needle-valve carriedby the cylinder and piston respectively.

20. Direction-controlling mechanism for guns comprising a stop memberfor attachment to the gun-mount, a follower device for co-operation withthe stop member, said follower device having a casing, a head movable inthe casing by the gun, a cylinder-block movable in the casing and amember for contact with the stop member, said contact member engagingthe block at the end opposite the head, a piston movable in thecylinder-block, a spring by which the piston is held normal y raised inthe cylinder, portions of a needle-valve carried by the cylinder andpiston respectively, and a spring interposed between the piston andhead.

21. Direction-controlling mechanism for guns comprising a stop memberfor attachment to the gun-mount, a follower device for co-operation withthe stop member, said follower device having a casing, a head movable inthe casing by the gun, a cylinder-block movable in the casing and amember for contact with the stop member, said contact member engagingthe block at the end opposite the head, a piston movable in thecylinder-block by the head and provided with a longitudinal bore, acheck-valve movable in the bore, and co-operating portions of aneedlevalve carried by the cylinder and check-valve.

CHARLES K. WOODMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,274,518 Dawson et al. Aug. 6,1918 1,300,264 Hamilton Apr. 15, 1919 1,820,820 Muller Aug. 25, 19311,883,204 Whitaker Oct. 18, 1932 2,391,956 Eastman Jan. 1, 1946 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 298,987 Germany Apr. 5, 1921 494,256 GreatBritain Oct. 24, 1938 534,928 France Jan. 14, 1922

